“It really did start, like many of the greatest things in one’s life, as a passion turned hobby,” said L’Objet Founder and Creative Director Elad Yifrach of his start in home decor. “I was very young and without any training. My background was in interior architecture and I wanted to expand beyond curating a space to creating the actual objects. I started L’Objet and, about two years in, the market started to react in a serious way to the design language. That was when I realized it wasn’t going to be a hobby, it was already my career.”
Born and raised in Israel, Elad went to school in California and began his interior design career in Los Angeles before making the move to New York. A lifelong traveller and international spirit, his main source of inspiration is the cultures and craftsmen of the Mediterranean. It was while working for discerning clients in Los Angeles that he recognized a gap in the market for luxury tabletop and objects for the home. Having always felt that these pieces should be beautiful while embracing craftsmanship and functionality, he set out to launch L’Objet. Founded in 2004, the brand still employs many of the same families of craftspeople whom Elad met on his early travels.
Elad Yifrach \\\ Photo: Daniel Schafer
When we asked Elad what other creative medium he might try, he said it had already become a reality. “I would have said personal fragrances, but we actually launched our first ever Eau De Parfum collection in March,” he shared. “Each creation is an olfactory impression, plunging us into the heart of nature. We’ve been working with home fragrance for a long time, and a few years ago we introduced an Apothecary line. But it has been special to work with olfactory impressions for personal fragrance.”
But if it weren’t personal fragrance, “I would most likely switch to cooking. I love playing around in the kitchen and, once again, the entertainment aspect of it all has essential relevance for me. Cooking is a medium through which I can express my creativity, but it’s also one of my preferred ways to engage with others, to entertain them.”
Elad also has an untapped talent: producing music. “It is a wonderful way to express yourself and entertain others. From a creative standpoint, in my work as a designer I tend to draw inspiration from so many different experiences, inputs, things, people, and so forth,” he said. “I consider myself fairly good at doing the same with music – maneuvering different genres, styles, and artists, and expressing my vision through sound.” There’s no denying creativity when it strikes.
Today, Elad Yafrich is joining us for the weekly Friday Five!
Photo courtesy Luis Morais
1. Luis Morais
Luis Morais is my favorite jewelry designer, as well as my best friend. We met 13 years ago, and even though we live on two different continents, we manage to see each other frequently. I own a beautiful collection of bracelets made by him that I wear all the time.
Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen / AFP via Getty Images
2. Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is my hometown, so I go there often to spend time with my family, friends, and to reconnect with myself. It’s such an vibrant beach city to spend time in – I love the weather and the food, especially.
Photo: Bela Silva, © Angela Martin- Retortillo, courtesy Gallery Rui Freire – Fine Art, Lisbon
3. Bela Silva
Now that I’m based in Lisbon, I love to discover local artists. Bela Silva is an extremely talented Portuguese artist and ceramist whom I had the pleasure of meeting recently. Her work is so inspiring. The ceramics, especially, are very appealing to me. They are simple, yet so strong and elegant.
Photo courtesy Sahbi Sahbi
4. Sahbi Sahbi
Sahbi Sahbi is my new favorite restaurant in Marrakesh. As my family are from Morocco, it is great to know a place that serves authentic Moroccan food, cooked by empowered local women. The space is so beautiful, designed by Studio KO. Design, light, music, and food mix perfectly at Sahbi Sahbi.
Photo courtesy Casa Reia
5. Sunsets at Casa Reia
Casa Reia is one of my favorite spots around Lisbon. It’s the perfect place to go to relax on sunny days. Located on the beach in Costa da Caparica, the food is really good and they have the best live music curation. I love to go there and watch the beautiful sunsets, whilst spending time with my son and my friends.
Work by Elad Yifrach:
Neptune Bowl Centrepiece \\\ From L’OBJET’s newest collection, L’ATELIER, The Neptune Bowl Centrepiece is hand-crafted in porcelain and gilded three times in 24-karat gold to achieve the perfect glow.
Apothecary \\\ A collection of essentials for the bath ritual. It comes in three different scents and includes a Bath Salt, Hand and Body Soap, Bar Soap, Hand and Body lotion, and Room Spray.
L’OBJET x Haas Brothers \\\ L’OBJET’s collaboration with the Haas Brothers, turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, bringing to life characterful creatures with the highest quality of finish and function.
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